


Saving and being saved

by valflaming



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Enlightened AU, Implied Mind Control, M/M, playmaker finds out winning a duel doesnt fix everything
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:34:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27058816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valflaming/pseuds/valflaming
Summary: Playmaker won the duel, so why won't Soulburner break free from Lightnings control?
Relationships: Fujiki Yuusaku & Homura Takeru, Fujiki Yuusaku/Homura Takeru
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	Saving and being saved

"Appear! The circuit that _changes_ the future!" Playmaker rose his hand to the skies as the Link circuit appeared above him, yet his eyes remained on the person he was dueling "I'll bring you back, Soulburner" He moved his hand to his chest, closed it into a fist as he took a heavy breath.

"The bond between two souls will reignite the true fire! With BackUp Secretary, Flame Bufferleo, and Salamangreat Heatleo I set the link markers!" Soulburner could only watch as Playmaker used his own monster against him. "Burn away uncertainty! Link 3! Decode Talker, Heatsoul!"

  
\---  
  
  


Soulburner's LP's hit 0 as his body was sent flying because of Heatsoul's attack. Playmaker ran in his direction without thinking twice, kneeling at his side as he drew him close.

Soulburner's avatar disappeared into data and Takeru's appearance took his place.

"Playmaker..." Takeru whispers, shaky hand reaching for Playmaker's face. 

Playmaker's hand met Takeru's midway.

"It's okay now, Takeru. Lightning can't-" 

"Why?" Playmaker looked at him, confused at the horrified expression on Takeru's face "Why did you defeat me?" Takeru was shaking, tears starting to roll down his face.

"What-?"

"Why did you pull me back into darkness, Yusaku?" After hearing him call his name, his instinct told him to get away, that Takeru was dangerous.

That he wasn't himself yet.

But he couldn't leave Takeru, not now that he just found him again. 

"I tried so hard to save you," Takeru kept spouting nonsense. "To enlighten you" he was weeping, trembling and maybe that's what made Playmaker ignore the star-shaped gem that remained in Takeru's chest even after Soulburner's appearance was gone. "So why did you have to ruin it?!"

"Takeru..." Playmaker had no words as he watched him scream and cry like he was in genuine pain and did want to go back to being Lightning's puppet "You'll be fine. We'll be fine. Just calm down and we'll go back to-"

"No... no, I won't let you..." Takeru's hand gripped Playmaker's with enough strength that it hurt. "I won't let you fall, Yusaku. I won't leave you alone in your darkness" 

It took a moment for Playmaker to recognize the feeling that overtook him the moment his eyes locked with Takeru's and all he could see was cold emptiness.

Fear.

He was scared of the Takeru on his arms and couldn't decide if that emptiness was better or worse than having to see those lilac eyes tainted with Lightning's star-shaped mark. Still, he couldn't bring himself to leave him here and escape his grasp. 

After Lightning took Takeru’s consciousness, after he messed up his mind enough to make him think he should side with him, that he could somehow save them from their traumas, it had been extremely difficult to reach him. Takeru, with Soulburner's new appearance and accompanied now by Windy and Flame, had dueled- killed off all and any who ever troubled either of them but always flew away when Playmaker approached.

If he decided to leave now, would he ever get the chance to save him? Would he have the resolve to face Soulburner and defeat him again? This time it wasn't a win-or-die situation but next time, if ever, he could be forced into a position where he'd have to defeat Soulburner despite it meaning having to kill him off.

Playmaker didn't want to find out the answer to any of his doubts so he decided to not run away.

"Then don't leave me alone" Takeru's grip was painful and that reflected on Playmaker's expression, yet Playmaker tried to smile at him as he moved his other hand and placed it over the one that was hurting his.

"Stay with me, we can navigate through our darkness together," Playmaker felt Takeru's grip soften at the last word.

_Together._

For only a moment Playmaker wondered if that meant something for Takeru but he could ask about it once he'd got his friend back from whatever mental cage Lightning held him at.

"There are no easy paths, we can't just forget about what happened and pretend that all is well. That light, the salvation Lightning gave you wasn't real" Takeru remained silent as he looked at Playmaker but he loosened his grip enough that Playmaker could free his hand and grab Takeru's with both of his own. "Your grandparents are waiting for you to wake up, Takeru,"

“No one is waiting for me” Takeru’s voice was unusually calm considering how he was wailing just a moment ago. What's more, Playmaker felt like the one talking wasn’t really Takeru.

"My grandparents hate me for what happened to mom and dad," Takeru said the words someone else whispered to him in his head "My best friend only stayed close out of pity," He freed his hand from Playmaker's and wrapped his arms around Playmaker's waist, hugging him close "And you, my hero" Playmaker didn't hug him back "you want to drag me with you, drown me in your darkness"

"No, Takeru, stop" Playmaker tried to push him away this time but even in Link VRAINS Takeru was stronger “This isn’t what you wan’t, this is what Lightning-”

“You don’t know what I want” Takeru interrupted “We were forced down a painful path and I don't want that anymore. I need the light. You need it too, Yusaku”

Playmaker tried again, with all the strength he could muster but once more he couldn't break free from the arms that held him so firmly. He wouldn’t cry, but his attempts to escape were clearly desperate. Was Takeru this far gone? Had he truly lost his friend?

“I just need to show it to you,” There was light coming from behind and realization hit him when he heard Windy laugh from Takeru’s duel disk that he’d been foolish to think he could just win the duel, save Takeru and get away with it so easily.

“Let’s walk into the light together, Yusaku” Takeru whispered, and as his view was overcome with a blinding light, Playmaker thought that he was glad he left Ai with Kusanagi-san.

  
\---  
  
  


"Is this really what you want, Takeru?" Flame's voice came from his duel disk.

"There is nothing I want more than to save him" Takeru held an unconscious Playmaker in his arms, that starlight mark was back on his eyes the moment they returned to Lightning’s base.

"But Playmaker wanted to save you, too" Flame insisted, trying to reach his origin's former self, the one he was before Lightning broke him.

"He did, but the path he wanted to lead us through would have doomed us, Flame" 

"No, it would have doomed me. And the other Ignis. That's what the simulations-"

"I know what the simulations showed!" Takeru yelled, Flame could only look at him with a worried expression "And I don't want to lose you or him"

"I understand" But he didn't really. Flame didn't know what Lightning did to him before showing him the simulations but whatever it was it severed Takeru's connection with all the others he once held close to his heart. "Takeru... I'm sorry" Flame muttered before going back into the duel disk.

"There is nothing to be sorry for, Flame" Takeru stood up carrying Playmaker in his arms and started moving through the long hallway towards Lightning's throne room. 

When Takeru stepped into the light that came through one of the windows, he became Soulburner again, baring a content smile and the appearance that Lightning gave him.

**Author's Note:**

> IDK what to put here, I've had this one abandoned for a while on my phone's notes and randomly picked it up yesterday. 
> 
> If I'm honest, I just wanted to use Decode Talker Heatsoul, somehow, and this happened xD
> 
> Also, putting Pm in a situation where he wins but still doesn't gets the expected result is always fun :V 
> 
> Thanks for reading and uu consider leaving your opinion, maybe *eyes*


End file.
